Toyota has unveiled the Gazoo Racing (GR) SupaStarlet race car based on the Starlet (Glanza) in South Africa. Note that the Toyota Starlet is the Glanza which is sold in India and is a rebadged version of the Maruti Baleno. The South African market imports a lot of cars from India. Most Maruti cars come from India along with their Toyota counterparts under the joint venture between the two Japanese carmakers. This SupaStarlet carries all the elements of being a racing car. Let us take a look at the details.
You may also like: Made-in-India Swift, Baleno etc Help Suzuki Overtake VW in South Africa
Toyota GR SupaStarlet Race Car Based on Glanza
The SupaStarlet comes with a completely stripped-down interior to replicate what racing cars look like. There is a roll cage to protect the driver. On the outside, the modifications are apparent and extensive. These include things like body-coloured race-spec wheels, pronounced wheel arches, a colossal rear spoiler, tons of body graphics, protective elements like a splitter on the front bumper and side skirtings and matte black paint. The body graphics read GR at various locations. All in all, this looks like the quintessential racing car from the outside.
You may also like: After Japan, India-Made Honda Elevate Launches in South Africa
This SupaStartlet is a part of the Gazoo Racing program by Toyota in South Africa. It aims to nurture young talents by offering them opportunities to build professional careers in the world of motorsports. In a bid to do that, the GR department of Toyota organizes all sorts of races including amateur events like go-karts to ultra-hardcore races like the Dakar Rally. The details of the specifications of this special race car are not available.
You may also like: Made-in-India Maruti Suzuki Jimny Much Costlier in South Africa, Can You Guess Why?
You may also like: Made-in-India Suzuki Fronx Reviewed by South African Expert
Specs
Note that even though the Toyota Starlet in South Africa is based on the Glanza sold in India, there are differences in the powertrains. The SA version gets the larger 1.5-litre naturally aspirated petrol engine which generates 103 hp and 138 Nm of peak power and torque. This engine pairs with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic transmission. On the other hand, the Indian avatar comes with a smaller 1.2-litre naturally aspirated petrol mill which generates 90 PS and 113 Nm of peak power and torque. There are manual and automatic gearbox options as well.
